Steering mechanism



Oct. 30, 1928.

E. J. MALONEY STEERING MECHANISM Original Filed May 24, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Svwegntoz 4 E du/ard lfa/ 071%; 3 51; af/tomeq Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,924

. E. J. MALONEY STEERING MECHANISM Original Fiied May 24, 1923 2 Sheets-Shet 2 IT, F I

i1 1; t. :l'i'ilf 9 1 {inventor Edward JMa/omga @513 elf/$014401;

Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

i orrmiinw Year; i

c l sreIia nqMteQfixe e-A i I imminen :4, last we saw; my igj iezi- The invention relates to steeringnielclia- '7 MW; tor. us in rehi lesgespecially "salt-pr automobi e, end i ,r fvicle d a ne end with V nell d vehicl s. i As at. present constructed,

Wh s ering mechanism imm rse a noii V other element-s. a steermgpost winch 1s fixes lelttivelytol the body of the 7 vehic e, as an;

' he, steering wheel 12 m thej i ing fi hilch the l ebw e isJ teeredAs-tlehfid In man msmacfi i his fixed nqsiti a o he see-ins st amlvheel mak s 11? ex r mely awk ard $01 19 d iver; and v th. s m mates of earsv 1t betemes practilcall impessjblefe s ranger person to' pera e same; i

fine. Pm" i t fuv veetii hf has for its ebjeet r g mechani m ei simpl and ssed coni stxuictie i endf hereby thepjosition (7f the teering po t may b adjustedto. suit, as, Ml sw ng ng same may 91: toward th glfl f r-v Themyentixmhes fer afiirthes eb 'ect s mple mmhanismter traamttmg, he meme of i the, steering" .ost bathe. immedia e s eering ment as or, e ample, I the drag link of} m. anemone, the. armn emm bein? such llet road shocks? can ot. be trae mit ed tp the eer ng whee, andthus EGI LQYLRg th g .1: qt m ss an [danger other wng-Qth wh l w rencheiltr m grip enemies meme in ures, ample bearing su e he mt agandithedesign 1e phviati ver; tgf lil oi; the. l v nfi ge ts being enclosed W'fllbin greasevfille .0; so that] th me-HQ pract ralhind stru tible;

nature Qfth i vention, hew rerr wi l est. e understood w en dese bed n. chees tion with the aecompanying' drawi'ngs,in:

F 1-, is adminis rat ng imp stee ng mechanism-mounted on a chassis or frame of a vehicle. V

Figs. 2 and 3 are respectlvely a side and plan view of the steering mechanism.

Fi 4 is a longitudinal section takenon the llne 4-4, Fig. 2, looking in the direc views. 7 y Referring to the drawings, 10 deslgnates'a chassis, for example, of an automobile, 11.

located in front of the seat.

thejseatfor the driver and 12 the dash board Av steering .post 14, which may bein the f ormof arod or tube,

pie, is: the da h bo rdli The Slidejllfq? is slide l7 y n/ he bracke 19,]

1 engedifto be pivotally mounted with, res

'wh se ong tudirialfaxis: is atan angle to the;

' s p rideim he use. imme-items; the

bearing is swivelled to a slidemen'iher 1;? er c an ed t gedi st van hel Q'WY 13 915 brack t member l9g ured for examjecuiregl to; the bra ket as by meanslj f-a pring-Hrgedcplung r 0 ef hel iietfitting ecesses. 21 of the Slide SQ thatthe'beai' ng 16 may be "locked -Y in d fierent angular positi n-s n; 1 verti al plan as her'eiim iiter B ol-eul y etfottlttl estee 'ing postllijis ar anged; c, f

to alto? o iits. swinging with, the bearing,

n a ve iie plane e li ldi'eatedjby tfie pea, i'on. sh wn in d t l l es lilg-g L; an; the operato f h f ehicle may thereby: totem- 5' melee; he; st e ing Whee f. u t si" ng posit n y CO/r spondfngly idle ioe 'abl the/Steering pest emerge j w ngingmov m nt, its oppbsit enct'ijs a r- 0,

e l to thek bass sl 10 While.-

jth same ltil neal lowing enths t 'eusm iss eeqff i frete i n l moveme t t9 the im e We steel: a eiemen't;

hexdr g k 22b aptenloh 'le T ai-s se eemplis in aboutthelower nd Qtthe te rmg pos r mingintegrall'y. herew th, a; double teentlf c. member or write 2.5;.f9 exampleyij ,th.

ng tudinal axi of he, steering post 1 W ll P IQiidQIfIQ Z effileilhlee centrie member, with opposed surfaces, the relative positions of the post and cylinder and the angle be- 95 tween the respective axes beingso chosen that the opposed surfaces are substantially equal in their effect and work in opposite directions 5 to provide a couple whenthe steering post is rotated. The member 25 is, moreover, pro- 1 rvided mid-way of its ends with a peripheral Surrounding the-cylinder 25 is sleeve or 11 block 28 wlnch is held thereto against relative axial movement by the said studs 27 which also pass therethru; and rotary movement of the cylinder with respect to this sleeve will therefore cause movement of the latter in the direction of least resistance. This movement is exerted against the walls of a box bearing 30 carrying the studs 27, and having trunnions 31, which fit corresponding bearings 32 of a bracket 33 secured in any suitable manner to the chassis 10. To one of the trunnions is secured an arm 35 to receive and transmit the rotational movement thereof to the drag link 22, the bracket 33 being secured to the chassis at the angle most suitable for the transmission of the movement. 7

In this manner, the rotational steering movement given the wheel 15 by the driver is transmitted to the drag link 22, but allows also for an adjustment of the said steering wheel relatively to the driver, the raising or lowering of the post 14 being compensated for by the swivelled connection between hearing 16 and the slide member 17. Box bearin g 30, moreover, is made sufficiently large to allow the sleeve to oscillate about the studs 27, to accommodate the motion imparted to it by the member 25 as well as any other motion which may be imparted to it thru the movement in a vertical plane of the steering post with wheel. It will be appreciated that while the movement of the latter at the wheel end may be some 8 to 10 inches, the actual movement of the member 25 will be very slight and does not in any manner affect the rotary action of the said member or the oscillating movement of the box bearing. a

The said box bearing, moreover, is provided at one side with an opening to allow of the insertion of the member 25 and its sleeve, said opening being arranged to be closed by a suitable cover member 40 having an opening -11 sufficiently large to allow the steering post to pass therethru and accommodate its movement. This opening is arranged, moreover, to be closed by a cover washer 42 mounted about the post and held in contact with the box cover 40 by means of a spring 43, also mounted about the steerin" post.

Suitable grease for lubricating the movable member may be introduced to the box thru an opening l t provided thru one of the trunnions 31. It will be noted that all of the movable members are of ample proportions with large bearing surface so that wear and lost motion resulting therefrom are obviated.

I claim 1. Steering gear for vehicles, comprising a swingable steering post with wheel at one end, a cylinder about the other end of the steering post with its longitudinal axis at an angle to the axis 01 the post and provided with a transverse peripheral groove intermediate its ends, studs fitting therein to permit the cylinder to oscillate about same in a ver tical plane in swinging the steering post as well as to be rotated about its own longitudinal axis upon turning the steering post, the drag link of the vehicle, means connecting the cylinder with said drag link, including a block about and contacting with said cylinder and in which the cylinder may turn, said studs passing thru the block into the groove of the cylinder, at box bearing for said block, carrying said studs and having trunnions, a bracket providing suitable bearings for said trunnions and secured to the frame of the vehicle, and an arm movable with said trunnions and connected with the drag link.

2. In a vehicle: a swinging steering post; means to lock same to a fixed portion of the vehicle; the drag link of the vehicle; a double eccentric member mounted at the lower end of the steering post; and a cooperating member acted upon thereby in opposite directions upon turning the said steering post to provide a couple for rotating the cooperating member; and means connecting the drag link with said cooperating member.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York this 22nd day of May, A. D. 1923.

EDWARD J. MALONEY. 

